G.I.F.T. 9-24-17

Jesus says the reign of God is like workers who
get paid the same no matter when they start; the full-day workers are upset.
When God changes his mind about punishing Nineveh, Jonah is angry. God is
always gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love. Why does that make
us so upset?

Discuss in your household or small group

Is
God “fair” in God’s generosity? Why or
why not?

How
do you explain grace to another person?

Think
for a moment about who 'the last' are in your world. How might this
parable be lived in a way which would actually change their world?

What
in this parable do you find challenging as a disciple of Jesus?

DAILY
BIBLE READINGS

These readings are related to the Sunday readings. M-W reflect upon the
past Sunday’s readings and Th-Sa prepare for the next Sunday. Try to take time each day to read the
assigned Bible passage.

Read Jonah 3:10-4:11 again. Have you ever felt like Jonah?
You knew God would extend mercy and compassion on someone who really deserves
something worse. Think about those people and then imagine that you, like
Jonah, need to bring God’s word. Pray your reaction to God – the “nice” and the
“not-so-nice”.

Autumn Ritual:

As we watch leaves fluttering to the ground in the fall, we
are reminded that nature's cycles are mirrored in our lives. Autumn is a time
for letting go and to practice getting out of the way and letting Spirit take
charge of our lives. Place a symbol of autumn – a leaf, an acorn – in your
devotional area. Let it remind you to let go and let God.

SCATTERED TO SERVE

Just as the church in Philippi received a letter of
encouragement from the Apostle Paul, so you too can send encouragement to
others who do God’s work. Maybe they don’t event recognize it is God’s work and
you can point out the difference their work has made.